Self-Driving Tech Partnership to Advance Autonomous Vehicles in the UAE

British self-driving technology developer Oxa has partnered with Abu Dhabi-based Bayanat to use its AI-powered geospatial analytics tools to enhance the capabilities of its autonomous vehicles.

Bayanat previously worked on self-driving taxis in the United Arab Emirates, leveraging technology from Chinese autonomous tech firm WeRide.

The company is now working with Oxa to develop smart city solutions and autonomous transportation systems. The company’s geospatial data solutions will be integrated into Oxa’s autonomous vehicle software to enhance AV capabilities.

The two companies will also collaborate on creating an Autonomous Mobility Center of Excellence to nurture local talent across software, hardware and data science.

The partnership is supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) as part of its Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) Cluster, which aims to establish Abu Dhabi as a hub for smart and autonomous vehicles across air, land and sea.

“Using the knowledge gained from our existing commercial deployments in the U.S. and Bayanat’s technical capabilities and deep relationships throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council, we expect to accelerate the adoption of autonomy across multiple use cases,” said Gavin Jackson, Oxa’s CEO. “We are also excited about the strong technical talent pool in the region, fostered by the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and SAVI, both of which will help us further develop our strong cohort of highly-skilled engineers, including at our planned base in Abu Dhabi."

Related:Abu Dhabi Self-Driving Taxi Rollout a Success

The agreement was struck during a visit by Bayanat executives to Oxa’s headquarters in Oxford, England.

"This collaboration with Oxa marks a significant milestone in our journey towards revolutionizing transportation and smart city solutions,” said Hasan Al Hosani, Bayanat’s managing director. “By combining our expertise in geospatial analytics and operational capabilities in autonomous vehicles with Oxa’s leadership in autonomous vehicle technology, we are poised to create groundbreaking solutions that will enhance mobility, safety and efficiency in urban areas.”

Away from the Middle East, Oxa (formerly Oxbotica) is working on autonomous passenger vehicles which will be made available to public transport operators in the U.S. and Europe.